Historical Scenarios
We’ve shipped Scenario One (2001-2004) and Scenario Two (2005-2008). You can find more details about scenarios in the GMT Games Scenarios Booklet.
SCENARIO ONE: 2001-2004
“I can hear you; the rest of the world can hear you, and the people who knocked down all of these buildings will hear from all of us soon.” - President George W. Bush
It is September 2001, and the United States is reeling from the most devastating terror attack in its history. Step into George W. Bush’s shoes on the eve of the Global War on Terror. You start out with the world’s sympathy, and a deep reserve of domestic support as the public, press, and Congress all stand with you. Can you mete out justice for the 9/11 attacks, build and maintain America’s alliances against Al Qaeda and the Islamist threat, and advance your domestic agenda?
Scenario Victory:
Historical scenarios do not use Legacy Points. At the end of Year 4, your score will be calculated: 15+ points for a Major Victory, 10-14 points for a Minor Victory, 5-9 points for a Minor Defeat, and 4 or less points for a Major Defeat.
All automatic loss conditions are in effect; also, if you fail to win re-election, you will lose the scenario
You receive:
4 points if there is no Rogue State in Central/South Asia, or 2 if there is one but you are at war with it, and winning that war.
2 points for signing your own Homeland Security bill; 1 point if you sign an Opposition bill.
3/1/0/-1/-3 points for the State of the Economy at 7/6/5/4/3.
2/0/-2/-4 points for Lingering Domestic Issues at 0/1/2/3.
2/1/0/-1/-2 points for Homeland Security at 7/6/5/4/3.
2/1/0/-1/-2 points for Public Approval at 62+/52-60/42-50/32-40/30-
1 point for passing any number of Level 1 Greater Society Initiatives, or 2 points for passing any number of Level 2 Greater Society Initiatives
Scenario Special Rules:
This scenario takes place before the advent of robust cyber-warfare, so that Strategic Capability, and its associated legislation, are out of play. You (and your allies and adversaries) cannot undertake cyber-attacks.
The scenario starts partway through the year 2001, during Activation Phase 3. Russia and China have already taken their major activations, and are both at Posture 1 (for now…) so they will not have their minor activations in the pool.
You must use your first action to initiate hostilities against the Taliban (the Rogue State in Central / South Asia).
Russia and China will not automatically lower their Relations with the U.S. during the End of Turn: Cleanup & Consequences sequence, unless either of them reaches Posture 2.
SCENARIO TWO: 2005-2008
Inauguration Day, January 2005. The United States is embroiled in Iraq, contending with a persistent insurgency fueled by Al-Qaeda and other foreign fighters. New leadership in Iran, sensing opportunity, is starting to move in a more aggressive direction, and Vladimir Putin, having fully consolidated his power in Moscow, now looks towards Russia’s economic sphere of interest. On the domestic front, the political capital you were hoping to use to enact lasting Social Security reform is dwindling, Hurricane Katrina is forming, and if that weren’t enough, towards the end of your recession, banks at home and abroad are starting to look awfully shaky…
Scenario Victory:
Historical scenarios do not use Legacy Points. At the end of Year 4, your score will be calculated: 19+ points for a Major Victory, 14-18 points for a Minor Victory, 9-13 points for a Minor Defeat, and 8 or less points for a Major Defeat.
All automatic loss conditions are in effect.
You receive:
4 points if there is no Rogue State in the Middle East, or 2 if there is one but you are at war with it, and winning that war.
2 points for signing your own Social Security bill; 1 point if you sign an Opposition bill.
3/1/0/-1/-3 points for the State of the Economy at 7/6/5/4/3.
2/0/-2/-4 points for Lingering Domestic Issues at 0/1/2/3.
2/1/0/-1/-2 points for Homeland Security at 7/6/5/4/3.
2/1/0/-1/-2 points for Public Approval at 62+/52-60/42-50/32-40/30-
1 point for passing any number of Level 1 Greater Society Initiatives, or 2 points for passing any number of Level 2 Greater Society Initiatives
Election: Score 4 points if you win re-election (while this scenario historically represents George W. Bush’s second term, it might also have been John Kerry’s first term; losing re-election is not an auto-loss).
Scenario Special Rules:
When Financial Crisis: Nation’s Fourth Largest Bank Fails (Crisis Card #40) is drawn, it is removed from the game. The “Sub-Prime Lending and Liquidity Crisis Takes US and World Banking System to the Brink of Disaster” result on the Domestic Past is Prologue table is resolved instead.
You can insulate the United States from the effects of the financial crisis by passing the “Balanced Budgets / Decreasing Debt” Greater Society Initiative. Passing the level 1 version before the financial crisis hits will limit the Economy effect to one box (instead of three). Passing the level 2 version will cancel the effect entirely; your policy foresight and leadership have prevented the crisis.
China will not automatically lower its Relations with the U.S. during the End of Turn: Cleanup & Consequences sequence.
Engine upgrade: Unreal Engine 5.8.
Mr. President now runs on Unreal Engine 5.8. Engine upgrades matter because they keep the game working on current hardware and operating systems, including the latest Windows and macOS releases, and they bring the fixes and stability work Epic ships. For a game like ours, with deep rules and many moving parts, a modern engine also gives us better tools to find and fix problems. An upgrade means a lot of behind-the-scenes testing, so if you see anything that looks off, please report it.
Sandbox Scenario Bug Fixes
Fixed: a US cyberattack on China’s infrastructure could stall with no result when the roll plus bonuses came to 11 or more. It now follows the chart (”9-10+”).
Fixed: Friends and Opponents drawn by the Congressional Drama table now come in on their Radical side on Normal and Harder
Fixed: Friends and Opponents drawn by Landmark bills, the end-of-turn reaction and several cards also come in on their Radical side now.